During a recent interview, former member of The Smiths, Johnny Marr has revealed his thoughts on the over-exposure the band received during the height of their fame.
As reported by NME, Marr sat down for the interview on BBC Radio 4’s series The Poet Laureate Has Gone to His Shed, where he said, “I was in a very very big ‘music press’ band, which now I’m older I think we could’ve done with less of that.”
Marr continued, “I wouldn’t say it was our downfall but I think it was a blind spot of The Smiths, being so occupied with the media and notoriety – particularly one certain member of the group. I think that could’ve been dialled down a bit and would’ve helped the group out.”
“So in my case, and say in the case of the Gallaghers – Noel particularly, and say, Mani from the Roses – we came from immigrant families, all The Smiths in fact.”
Marr continued on, reflecting on the way that his family inspired him musically.
He said, “What rubbed off on me was not only their enthusiasm and pretty much their obsession for music – which they still have to this day, my parents – but the awareness of the club scene, where all the show bands would play, and this thing about going out to let off some steam and be part of a community as well.”
“The Irish for example are not really that dissimilar from the Eastern Europeans in that a lot of them grew up in villages and a lot of them made their own music in their kitchens with brothers and sisters and aunties, uncles and grandparents, for entertainment – and they brought that with them.”
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Making sense of this in the scheme of things? Marr says, “It’s in the DNA of working people, it’s not just about escapism, I think it’s a lot to do with community.”
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